Welcome Home
by peculiar36
Summary: A peculiar tale of how Miss Peregrine ended up with each of her children. T to be safe. Movie characters because I am not quite finished with the books.
1. Lighter Than Air

_**Emma was lighter than air. But her story is far from that.**_

"Please don't hurt me." The girl cried. "Please! I didn't do anything wrong. I promise." A woman that looked much like her, walked over. This woman had a sunken in face that made her look double the age she really was. She still had the bright blonde curly hair as the girl did and the same wide eyes. "Mother, please. I promise I won't do it again."

"I know you didn't mean to, Emma." The woman said brushing her hand over the girl's face. "But you're a witch." She spat in the girl's face before tying a rope around her body to a pole. "And we don't like witches."

"Mother!" The girl screamed thrashing. "Mother, please!" The girl was sobbing now. The older woman came around the pole to face the girl.

"It's for your own good." She said as she tied a rope to her mouth. She pulled it tight, so the girl couldn't scream. Emma stayed like that for days, maybe weeks; she didn't know. She grew weaker by the minute, as to the fact she didn't have food or water for however long. She hardly slept, and when she did, she awoke from nightmares minutes later. She tried screaming out, hoping someone would come, but it was always silent.

One night though, everything changed. She was falling asleep when she heard footsteps walk toward her. _Footsteps?_ There was no one that lived nearby. She was just left by a pole in the middle of nowhere. She stood still not knowing what would happen next. The footsteps grew louder and she could see a tall figure walking toward her. She felt tears in her eyes. _Please. Just kill me now. Make it fast._ The girl thought.

"Easy there," a soft voice said seeming to know what she was thinking. _Soft and definitely female._ It was a comforting voice. She saw the woman coming closer. "You're going to be okay." She said. Emma could see her now with the moonlight directly on her. She had a pale complexion with black hair, that was pulled up neatly at the top of her head. Her makeup was almost... birdlike if that was possible. Her eyes were outlined by a thick black eyeliner. Her dress was simple and black but hugged her figure making her look much more sophisticated. "Let me just get these ropes off of you." The girl wanted to scream. She was scared for this woman and herself. If she was trying to help her escape, who knows if they would get caught. The woman undid the bottom one first. Emma would've collapsed if there wasn't a second one on the top. Once the woman undid the last one she rushed over before the girl fell. Emma coughed and gasped for air, all while crying. The woman held her up. She set a large pair of shoes down for the girl. "These might make it easier to walk." The girl slid into them and the woman buckled them up for her. She held the girl's hand as she took a step into her new life.

* * *

"Who are you?" The girl asked as they walked along the pathway. They had gotten to a path that was more beautiful than Emma could have ever imagined. It was lined with colorful flowers and as they got closer she could see a large oak tree.

"I'm Alma Peregrine, but you can call me Miss. Peregrine."

"What are you going to do with me?" Emma asked as she stopped in the middle of the path. _Once she finds out what I am, she'll throw me out. I know it._ The girl thought to herself. Miss. Peregrine stopped and looked at the girl.

"I will never hurt you or neglect you. You will always have a comfortable bed to sleep in and food in your stomach. You are protected here with me, Emma."

"How do you know me?" Emma asked a little frightened.

"I've been waiting for you. I just needed the perfect time to come get you." Miss. Peregrine said with a smile. "Come now, I can almost hear the dinner bell ringing." She wrapped an arm around the girl and walked her to a huge mansion. "Welcome home, Emma." Emma could feel herself smile from ear to ear. "I'll show you where your bedroom and bathroom is, and you can go ahead and wash up."

"There are others like me?" Emma asked as she took a bite of her turkey. Miss. Peregrine smiled and nodded.

"Not all of them can float like you, but they have other gifts."

"Like what?"

"Well, I can turn into a bird." The older woman smiled.

"Ohh!" The girl smiled. "That's amazing!"

"I'm what's called a ymbryne. I'm trained to look after the young."

"Where are the others, Miss. Peregrine?"

"I haven't gotten them yet. You're my first peculiar child." Emma smiled.

As the days went on, Emma's personality began to bloom. She wasn't that little timid girl anymore. She was full of spunk and joy. She still had nightmares and Miss. Peregrine would stay up with her until they passed. She would brush the girl's hair and braid it until Emma was able to fall back to sleep. Every morning at five am, Emma would creep into the headmistress' quarters and crawl in bed with her. She could always hear the headmistress chuckle as she wrapped a protective arm around the girl. Then they both would fall back to sleep and wake up two hours later. Miss. Peregrine would get out first, letting the girl sleep a little while longer while she made breakfast. Then wake her up when breakfast was ready. This happened every day until someone new came in. _Olive._

* * *

 **Years Later**

The headmistress could hear the older girl sobbing. She knew she missed Abe, but she didn't think it would hurt her this much. Miss. Peregrine sighed as she walked to the oldest girl's bedroom and opened the door. The headmistress knew she hadn't been there for Emma as much as she would have liked to be, but for her safety, she kept her distance as the girl grew older. She knew most of Emma's nightmares had gone, but occasionally, she would hear her whimpering at night. She would walk into her room and stand in her doorway, making sure she went back to sleep okay.

"Miss. Peregrine," the girl squeaked as she stood up and wiped her eyes as if the older woman would be upset if she saw her crying. "I'm sorry for not coming down for the daily walk. I was feeling a little-"

"Upset?" Miss. Peregrine asked interrupting the girl.

"I wasn't going to use that word, but...yes."

"Emma, how much did Abe mean to you?" Emma looked up at the headmistress and choked back a sob as she looked at the ceiling, trying to keep it in.

"Very much." She almost whispered looking back at the headmistress. She couldn't hold the tears. "He was everything to me. And he just got up and left. Why would he do that?" Emma was sobbing now. The older woman walked over to the girl and had her sit down as she wrapped an arm around her. "I miss him so much and I'm scared he's going to get himself killed like Victor."

"Shhh...Emma. It's okay." As the girl's crying slowed, Miss. Peregrine began to let go, but Emma held on tighter.

"Please don't." She said. "I miss you." The headmistress felt her heart break as she heard the older girl say that.

"Emma, I'm sorry." She said. "I know, I've been distancing myself a lot more lately."

"Why?" Miss. Peregrine sighed.

"I thought it would be better for you." There was a pause as Emma wrapped herself around the older woman tighter.

"Can you just stay here for a little bit?"

"I don't really have a choice in this matter, do I?" Emma chuckled, but then felt the tears come back. Soon she was crying again. "Oh, Emma." The headmistress said hugging the girl tighter. Miss. Peregrine knew that as long as Emma lived, Emma would always need her. She slowly combed through the girl's hair, knowing that's usually calmed her and spoke to her softly. The girl's crying slowed and it just became sniffles. The headmistress let her stay where she was though, knowing she needed her at that moment.

 **Emma Bloom.**


	2. The Girl on Fire

_**Olive,**_ _ **the girl who set her bed on fire. The innocence of a child**_ _._

"Olive!" A voice yelled as she got slapped across the face. Olive was seven at the time. She had a special power that sometimes, she saw as a curse. She felt tears come to her eyes. She could feel the burn the slap made. She touched her face to see if that might make the pain go away.

"Mother! I'm sorry!" Olive said, crying now. "I didn't mean to!"

"That's what you say all the time." Her mother growled, slapping her again. Olive had been setting her bed on fire by accident every night. Her parents thought she was doing it on purpose to get their attention.

"Mother! Stop!" Julia, Olive's older sister said. "She's just a child." The older woman sighed and turned back to Olive. She almost felt bad for the girl, but then she remembered all the beds, she'd had to buy for the older girl and slapped her again.

"I'm going to give you one more chance." She said holding a finger up the girl's face. Olive nodded.

* * *

That night, Olive had been forced to sleep on a metal cot, with nothing but the metal underneath her. She whimpered trying to get warm, as it was dead winter outside. It wasn't long, though before she had fallen asleep and woke up feeling extremely hot. She opened her eyes and noticed fire all around her, but not one flame had touched her. She sat up and the fire went away.

* * *

The next day, Olive went into town by herself and walked around the Farmer's Market. She smiled as she walked through. Her hands began to itch and she scratched them, thinking nothing of it. When it didn't get better, she looked down. Her hands were so swelled up, that they were larger than her face. She panicked and ran to a fish stand. She threw her hands into the ice bucket where the fish were, apologizing to the grocer. When she noticed her hands weren't getting cooler, but hotter, she yelped as she looked down. All of the ice had melted. She pulled her hands out and they burst into flames. She backed away, as the grocer began cursing her, claiming his fish had been ruined. She began running as the grocer yelled after her. Scared, she ran home as her hands began to cool down, and went back to normal size. She got inside and her father immediately starting beating her.

"How could you embarrass our family like this?" He yelled.

"I didn't mean to!" The girl cried.

"Your mother is gone because of you." He yelled again, slapping her across the face. He grabbed her wrist and led her to the room under the stairs. He pushed her in and slammed the door. "You're never coming out of here." He said through the vents. "Don't even think of escaping, or you won't ever live to see the next day." Olive slumped back defeated. _What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she be normal?_

That night, she pushed open the door. It was still unlocked. _How could her father have forgotten to lock the door properly?_ She crawled out of the space and stood up once she was fully out. Smiling, she began walking toward the front door. She gasped as she felt someone grab her from behind and knock her out. The next time she woke, she had asbestos sheets covering her. She tried to take them off but noticed they were tied to her. She cried out, hoping someone could hear her, but all she could hear was silence. She stayed like that for days on end, with no food. She was back in the cupboard under the stairs.

One night, she heard the door open. Julia stood in the small doorway.

"Oh my! Olive!" She cried crouching beside her sister. She undid the ropes and took off the sheets. Olive gasped for air. "Olive, I'm so sorry! I should have protected you." She said handing her a cup of water, she had been holding. "You have to go. You'll die if you stay here." Olive nodded as she took a sip. The water tasted like heaven.

"I need food," Olive said. Julia pulled money out of her pocket and handed it to Olive.

"Go! Be safe." Olive smiled as she hugged her sister. "You're not a witch, I know you're not," Julia said. "You're just special, and I hope you can find people like you. I love you so much and I'm sorry I can't protect you." They both heard footsteps. Julia looked up. "You have to go!" She said getting out of the way so Olive could run out.

"Julia, what's going to happen to you?"

"Don't worry about me." She said kissing her sister on the cheek. "Just go! Before he catches you!" Olive ran out and ran to the door, opening it. She ran out of the house, only looking behind her once. She saw her father beating Julia. She wanted to run back and help her sister, but she knew she was too weak to do anything. "Go!" Her sister yelled after her and she ran.

* * *

"Next we have Olive Elephanta! Our newest member, but most peculiar! Welcome our fire-eater!" An announcer called out. It had been three years since Olive had escaped the clutches of her father, making her only a small 10-year old girl. She was now in the circus as a performer. She was happy where she was. No one had called her a witch, and no one had beat her for what she could do. She had a comfortable bed to sleep in, and not once had she set it on fire.

After the show was over, a woman approached her. Olive smiled as the woman shook her hand.

"That was a very good show." The woman said. "How do you it?" Olive shrugged. She didn't think it was necessary to explain that she could make fire with just her hands to a complete stranger. "I have a job opportunity for you. I'm very interested in what you can do."

"I like my job here," Olive said quietly. "Thank you though, for your kind offer."

"You'll get paid more, and you'll have more of an audience." Olive shrugged. She didn't care about the money or the audience. "Just think about it for awhile. I'll be here for the whole weekend show, so I'll find you tomorrow afterward."

"Thank you for the offer," Olive said with a smile as she walked past the woman. She found all the other performers and sat down beside them at the dinner table.

"Olive!" Her boss called out. Olive looked up at him and smiled. "You were great out there as usual. Keep up the good work, and I'll give you a raise." Olive's eyes widened.

"Really?" She asked smiling. He only nodded as he patted her on the back.

* * *

The next day, the audience was a lot louder. Olive did her performance and smiled. She knew she did an even better job than the night before. She began walking away until she was grabbed from behind by the shoulders. She gasped as someone covered her mouth. She felt something sting on her arm and realized it had been an injection of something. She slowly felt herself grow tired as the person held her still.

The next time she woke up, she was in a truck with a rope in her mouth and chains around her arms. She tried to scream but nothing came out. She heard something rattle the truck as she was waking up slowly. She heard the door open and she looked up. There was a woman with black hair and a pale complexion. She was tall and only smiled when she saw the girl.

"Let's get you out of here." She said as she undid the ropes and chains. Once the girl was free, the woman picked her up out of the truck and set her down on the ground. "Here," The woman handed her a pair of gloves. They were black thick gloves that, when she put them on, went up to her elbow. The girl smiled as she hugged the woman. "Come on. We have to go before they catch us."

By the time they had reached Miss. Peregrine's house, the girl was exhausted. They walked through the door and Miss. Peregrine noticed how tired Olive was. She picked the girl up and walked up the stairs. Olive rested her head on the woman's shoulder and felt her eyes close. Miss. Peregrine walked into Emma's room and set the girl down on the spare bed. She had already fallen asleep. Emma walked over.

"Is this her?" She asked the headmistress.

"Yes, she fell asleep just a few moments ago."

"Is she okay?"

"She doesn't seem physically harmed, but mentally, I'm not sure." Emma nodded. "Just make sure she sleeps okay. If you need me, I'll be in my room." Emma nodded as Miss. Peregrine kissed Olive on the forehead. "You're safe now, Olive."

The only person who really knew about Olive's past was Miss. Peregrine. Olive didn't really talk to anyone except Miss. Peregrine and that was only when she had a nightmare or had a flashback of her past. As the girl got older, her personality became more pronounced. She was a very pleasant girl and always tried to please everyone around her. Sometimes, Olive would accidentally catch things on fire. She had already burned her bed one night. Miss. Peregrine had only laughed and bought her a new one, allowing the girl to sleep in her bed that night, until the morning when they could get a replacement. One night during dinner, she accidentally set her plate on fire.

"Where are your gloves?" Miss. Peregrine exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Peregrine! I set them down when I was washing up for supper and forgot to put them back on!" Olive said getting up out of her seat. She felt tears in her eyes. "I'll go get them now." She rushed out of the dining room as she heard footsteps following her. She turned around and saw Miss. Peregrine.

"I wasn't yelling at you." Miss. Peregrine said as she saw tears in the girl's eyes. Miss. Peregrine touched the girl's arm and instantly regretted it. She pulled back alarmed at the heat. She shook her hand a little bit and cursed to herself.

"I'm sorry!" Olive exclaimed rushing to her room. She shut the door and flopped on her bed and cried. After a few moments, her door opened.

"Miss. Elephanta," Miss. Peregrine said walking over. The girl didn't say anything. "Olive." She tried again using the girl's first name.

"Just say it," Olive said sitting up. "You want me to pack tonight and be on the next ferry by morning." Miss. Peregrine smiled at the girl.

"Absolutely not." The headmistress said grabbing the girl's gloves. "You are not leaving." She said as she slipped them on the girl's trembling hands. She crouched down in front of the girl while still holding her hands. "You're learning and I understand that."

"But I hurt you!" Olive said frowning.

"It was just a little burn. It'll go away." She brushed her hand across the girl's face as she moved a piece of hair behind her ear. "But you, Olive, are not going anywhere. You are my child, and I would never throw you out." Olive smiled at the woman, wrapping her arms around her.

"I love you, Miss. Peregrine." Olive said as they let go.

"I love you too, Olive." Miss. Peregrine said kissing the girl's forehead. "You are so precious." She said with a smile.

 **Olive Elephanta.**


End file.
